9 killed, 30 injured in ‘accidental explosion’ at Nowgam police station

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: An “accidental explosion” astatine Nowgam constabulary presumption precocious Friday night, caused by substances seized during raids successful an NCR metropolis and transported to Kashmir by police, killed 9 radical and injured 30.J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat said astatine a property briefing successful Srinagar connected Saturday greeting a immense cache of explosive substances, chemicals and reagents were recovered from Faridabad connected Nov 9 and 10, during the probe of an interstate panic module.“The betterment was transported and kept securely successful the unfastened country of the constabulary presumption (Nowgam),” Prabhat said, adding, “As portion of prescribed procedure, samples of the betterment had to beryllium forwarded for further forensic and chemic examination.

On relationship of the voluminous and delicate quality of the recovery, it was being handled with utmost caution. However … an accidental detonation took spot astatine astir 11.20 p.m. connected Nov 14.

Any different speculation into the origin of this incidental is unnecessary.” The DGP didn’t instrumentality questions.The Union location ministry, too, said successful New Delhi that the Nowgam constabulary presumption detonation was triggered accidentally arsenic explosives recovered from the precocious busted panic module were being handled and sampled by forensic experts and different agencies up of their transport to FSL, Jammu.

There are SOPs for handling and sampling seized explosives and officials successful Delhi said these were followed successful Nowgam arsenic constabulary personnel, magisterial unit and forensic experts continued moving precocious into Friday nighttime to implicit the sampling. Though protective gear, similar weaponry suits, is available, forensic teams seldom usage them. Officials said an outer cause yet to beryllium ascertained but which could beryllium a flying spark from thing nearby, whitethorn person triggered the explosion, with the cars of teams parked adjacent adding to its magnitude.The detonation astatine the constabulary station, operating from a backstage location successful the bosom of Nowgam’s posh Sheikh-ul-Alam Colony, shook ample parts of Srinagar and reduced the constabulary presumption to rubble. Among the 9 killed were a Special Investigation Agency officer, 3 Forensic Science Laboratory personnel, 2 gross officials, and a tailor associated with the constabulary station. Thirty others — 27 policemen, 2 gross officials and 3 civilians — were wounded.Nowgam constabulary presumption had investigated the Jaish-e-Mohammed posters that appeared successful Bonpora country of Nowgam connected Oct 19, an enquiry that led to the busting of an interstate panic module involving doctors and others.Ruling retired immoderate panic angle, J&K DGP Prabhat said the origin of this “unfortunate incident” is being inquired into. L-G Manoj Sinha said govt stands successful solidarity with the families, friends, and loved ones of the departed.

“All imaginable assistance is being provided to those affected. I've ordered a probe to ascertain the origin of the accidental explosion,” helium added.MHA officials told TOI that astir 358 kg of explosives recovered from Faridabad was transported successful a Tata 407 goods bearer to Nowgam constabulary presumption earlier this week arsenic “case property”. As per the instrumentality lawsuit property, comprising recoveries from each raided locations, indispensable beryllium deposited astatine the constabulary presumption wherever the FIR is registered.“Deeply anguished by the nonaccomplishment of precious lives owed to highly tragic accidental blast astatine Nowgam Police Station successful Srinagar. My condolences to the bereaved families. I commune for speedy betterment of the injured,” the L-G said successful a station connected X. CM Omar Abdullah extended his “heartfelt condolences” to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift betterment of those injured.Later successful the day, erstwhile immoderate media channels reported that People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a JeM proxy declared a “terrorist organisation” by the Union location ministry successful 2023, had claimed work for the “attack”, the constabulary issued a speedy rebuttal: “The assertion of PAFF oregon immoderate different Pakistani violent radical is patently false, baseless and mischievous.”J&K constabulary had placed concertina ligament astatine the entranceway to Sheikh-ul-Alam Colony connected Friday, and policemen carrying AK-47s were allowing radical to walk lone aft thorough checks. The roadworthy starring to Nowgam constabulary station, located heavy wrong the colony, was covered with shattered model panes, twisted tin sheets and different debris arsenic residents stepped retired to picture what happened the erstwhile night.“It felt similar it was a rocket strike,” said a nonmigratory surviving a fewer 100 metres from the constabulary station.

He said helium was dormant erstwhile a large bang shook his two-storey location and model panes fell onto his bed. For a moment, helium said, helium believed a caller warfare betwixt India and Pakistan had started. “Then I heard cries, and successful the neighbourhood respective young girls staying present for studies screamed. It was implicit mayhem.”Another nonmigratory said helium grabbed his kid and ran extracurricular aft the explosion, seeing policemen fleeing successful panic.

“One policeman kept saying helium was fine, and past humor started coming retired of his rima and helium fell down,” helium said. Another nonmigratory said that erstwhile helium stepped retired and walked towards the constabulary station, helium saw a antheral wholly covered successful achromatic pulverization asking for help. “I gave him a cloth to cleanable himself, and I recognised him arsenic the navigator of the constabulary station, who had survived.

”Nowgam constabulary presumption was housed successful a rented gathering for the past 3 decades.

“I person ever seen the constabulary presumption here. I deliberation successful 1997 determination was a cylinder blast astatine the station,” a nonmigratory said. He said that implicit the past fewer days the constabulary presumption had seen dense movement, with respective officials visiting regularly presumption arsenic an “important lawsuit was being investigated there”.A labourer who works arsenic a chowkidar successful a gathering adjacent the constabulary presumption said determination was a large blast followed by respective smaller explosions that shattered windows and cracked walls successful the locality.

He said that successful the greeting helium saw policemen recovering immoderate assemblage parts. He said the occurrence work had arrived wrong 10 minutes of the detonation and helped douse the flames and prevention the locality.The constabulary presumption present lies successful implicit ruin. Its gross and bound walls are gone. Several vehicles connected the roadworthy extracurricular are damaged, their model panes blown out. Inside the compound, charred vehicles prevarication flipped implicit by the blast, and the gathering itself is present a heap of rubble.A young antheral whose location is adjacent to the constabulary presumption and separated lone by a partition said the blast threw him disconnected his feet and falling model solid injured his eyes and face. He past rushed to the adjacent Ujala hospital, crossed the main road. Those killed successful the blast were from antithetic parts of the Valley. Relatives and friends were inconsolable astatine the wreath-laying ceremonial astatine the constabulary power room, Srinagar.When the assemblage of tailor Mohammad Shafi Parry was brought location successful Nowgam connected Saturday afternoon, mourning erupted crossed the area. Locals said helium was wide loved and an progressive societal idiosyncratic successful the community.

Names of the killed